by Traverse Legal, reviewed by Enrico Schaefer - August 11, 2008 - e. Cybersquatting Arbitration Decisions (UDRP)
On September 10, 2007, a three-member panel of the World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”) found in favor of … Pharmaceuticals, Ltd (“Actelion”), that the use of its trademarked drug name TRACLEER by a law firm for the purpose of soliciting clients for litigation was improper under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (“UDRP”). The Panel’s decision, a clear departure from previous precedent, represents a positive outcome for trademark owners, especially those in the pharmaceutical industry, whose trademark rights are being improperly used by lawyers and law firms to attract litigation clients.
Before Actelion, the seminal WIPO case involving use of a pharmaceutical company’s trademarked drug name by a law firm was decided in favor of the products liability lawyer. See Pfizer, Inc. v. Van Robichaux , WIPO Case No. D2003-0399 (July 16, 2003).
Read the WIPO decision here.
As a founding partner of Traverse Legal, PLC, he has more than thirty years of experience as an attorney for both established companies and emerging start-ups. His extensive experience includes navigating technology law matters and complex litigation throughout the United States.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorney Enrico Schaefer, who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a practicing Business, IP, and Technology Law litigation attorney.
